Service Discovery Extension in a 5G Mobile Communication Network

Abstract

It is disclosed a server node, a 5G mobile communication network and a method performed therein, providing information, to a network function (NF) service consumer, for supporting selection of an NF instance out of a group of NF instances providing a target NF service. By using a network repository function (NRF) discovery request/response procedure, and an NF cluster instance ID that relates NF instances providing a certain service where the NF instances are hosted by one and the same NF, the NRF 406 determines IP addresses with which the requested service can be accessed. By using the NF cluster instance, one or more IP addresses for accessing NF instances providing the requested service hosted by one and the same NF 402, 404 is provided to the NF service consumer 408. The latency sensitive services and where load balancing is required, the NF service instance value knowledge about specific NF hosting the requested service, as well as High availability (HA) support.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of a fifth generation mobile communication (5G) system for providing information to a network function (NF) service consumer for supporting selection of an NF instance out of group of NF instances providing a target NF service; the method comprising:
 sending, from the NF service consumer and to a network function repository function (NRF), an NRF discovery request, wherein the NRF discovery request comprises a name of the target NF service;   determining, by the NRF, an NRF discovery response in response to the NRF discovery request; wherein the NRF discovery response comprises one or more addresses for the target NF service, and one or more NF cluster instance identities; wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instance identities relates two or more NF instances of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service to at least one of the addresses; wherein the two or more NF instances of the group of NF instances are hosted by a specific NF that is implemented as a virtualized NF (VNF); and   sending the NRF discovery response from the NRF and to the NF service consumer, for supporting the selection of an NF instance, out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service, based on the determined NRF discovery response with the NF instance being selected being hosted by a specific NF.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instances comprises two or more of the NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the NF service consumer selecting the NF instance out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instance identities has an individual address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 :
 further comprising the NF service consumer selecting the NF instance out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service; and   wherein the selecting the NF instance out of the group of NF instances comprises addressing two or more of the NF instances using a single address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising performing load balancing within each NF cluster instance between the two or more NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each one of the two or more of the NF instances, within each NF cluster instance, has an individual address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 :
 further comprising the NF service consumer selecting the NF instance out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service; and   wherein the selecting the NF instance out of the group of NF instances comprises addressing two or more of the NF instances using individual addresses of the one or more addresses for the target NF service, wherein the two or more NF instances are hosted by a specific NF.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising the NF service consumer performing load balancing between the two or more of the NF instances, within each NF cluster instance. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising sending, to the NRF and from an NF that is hosting NF instances, an NRF registration message; wherein the NRF registration message comprises information about which NF service is being provided by the NF, and information relating the NF instances and the NF service to an NF cluster instance identity. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the NRF discovery request further comprises a specific characteristic type of a target NF type for NF services; and wherein the NRF discovery response comprises one or more addresses for NF services supported by the specific characteristic type of the target NF type. 
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product for controlling a fifth generation mobile communication (5G) system for providing information to a network function (NF) service consumer for supporting selection of an NF instance out of group of NF instances providing a target NF service; the computer program product comprising program instructions which, when run at least one processor of the 5G system, causes the 5G system to:
 send, from the NF service consumer and to a network function repository function (NRF), an NRF discovery request, wherein the NRF discovery request comprises a name of the target NF service;   determine, by the NRF, an NRF discovery response in response to the NRF discovery request; wherein the NRF discovery response comprises one or more addresses for the target NF service, and one or more NF cluster instance identities; wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instance identities relates two or more NF instances of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service to at least one of the addresses; wherein the two or more NF instances of the group of NF instances are hosted by a specific NF that is implemented as a virtualized NF (VNF); and   send the NRF discovery response from the NRF and to the NF service consumer, for supporting the selection of an NF instance, out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service, based on the determined NRF discovery response with the NF instance being selected being hosted by a specific NF.   
     
     
         42 . A server node configured to support a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system for providing information to a network function (NF) service consumer for supporting selection of an NF instance out of a group of NF instances providing a target NF service; wherein the 5G system comprises the NF service consumer and a network function repository function (NRF); the server node comprising:
 processing circuitry;   memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the server node is operative to:
 send, from the NF service consumer and to the NRF, an NRF discovery request; wherein the NRF discovery request comprises a name of the target NF service; 
 determine, by the NRF, an NRF discovery response in response to the NRF discovery request; wherein the NRF discovery response comprises one or more addresses for the target NF service, and one or more NF cluster instance identities; wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instance identities relates two or more NF instances of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service to at least one of the addresses; wherein the two or more NF instances, of the group of NF instances, are hosted by a specific NF that is implemented as a virtualized NF (VNF); and 
 send the NRF discovery response from the NRF to the NF service consumer, for supporting the selection of an NF instance, out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service, based on the determined NRF discovery response with the NF instance being selected being hosted by a specific NF. 
   
     
     
         43 . The server node of  claim 42 , wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instances comprises two or more of the NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         44 . The server node of  claim 42 , wherein the instructions are such that the server node is operative to cause the NF service consumer to select the NF instance out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         45 . The server node of  claim 42 , wherein each one of the one or more NF cluster instance identities has an individual address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service. 
     
     
         46 . The server node of  claim 45 , wherein the instructions are such that the server node is operative to cause the NF service consumer to:
 select the NF instance out of the group of NF instances providing the target NF service;   address two or more of the NF instances using a single address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service.   
     
     
         47 . The server node of  claim 45 , wherein the instructions are such that the server node is operative to cause each NF cluster instance to perform load balancing between the two or more NF instances providing the target NF service. 
     
     
         48 . The server node of  claim 42 , wherein each one of the two or more of the NF instances, within each NF cluster instance, has an individual address of the one or more addresses for the target NF service. 
     
     
         49 . The server node of  claim 48 , wherein the instructions are such that the server node is operative to cause the NF service consumer to address two or more of the NF instances using individual addresses of the one or more addresses for the target NF service; wherein the two or more NF instances are hosted by a specific NF.